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From Mae Sot to Umphang it's a roller coaster ride,
up and down
steep valleys and ever winding roads. Pictured below is a
Karen refugee village at app.. half distance.
Thailand, several NGO’s and EU agencies give a
helping hand to the Karen. Many of them probably live better
here than many Thai’s elsewhere.
Umphang is squeezed between Mae Sot and Tak province
and probably one of the best great outdoor destination in Thailand
but it is only very difficult accessible since the forestry department of Thailand in
Bangkok refuses to extend the road from Kampheng Phet near
Nakhon Sawan in central Thailand to Umphang.
That means a almost 500 km detour which naturally
most people try to avoid since the road from Mae Sot down to
Umphang is simply dangerous.
Just to put this into context, this is not what I am
thinking, I simply don't know, I am a foreigner. This is
what the local people told me.
Umphang town is a small village of maybe 3,000 people,
mainly Karens, Mons, and Thais. There are no banks or
moneychangers in Umphang, that means take enough cash with
you.
The
3 - 5 hour ride from Mae Sot to Umphang
leads through terraced paddy fields, banana groves,
fruit plantations, remote villages and Karen refugee
villages or camp. |
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Karen Refuge Village Between Mae Sot and Umphang
 
Thai Karen Hill Tribe Village in the Umphang Area Deep Valleys steep hills in the Umphang Area
Um Phang jungle river rafting Thailand We made this video for you
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Um Phang jungle river rafting Thailand 1 |
The Myanmar Karen have fled Myanmar a few years
ago because of the guerilla war which almost died
down in resent years, not to mix this up with the
Thai Karen, which are basically of the same tribe
but are lucky enough to live on the Thai side of the
border.
Most people
come to Umphang to do the rafting trip down the Mae
Klong River,
passing small rapids and a incredible mountain -
limestone - waterworld. Visit Karen villages, caves,
hot springs, and the greatest waterfall - Thee Lor
Sue Falls- in Thailand and maybe in Asia at all.
Tours last usually three days
and costs about 1500B
per day per head.
Groups are generally
small and a combination of rafting, elephant rides,
caving, trekking and a sightseeing tour to the great
waterfall is on the agenda.. Most tours start with
rafting down the Mae Klong to Thee Lor Sue Falls,
followed by trekking to the Karen villages of Khotha
and Palata, a pickup truck is used in between, all
is very good organized, actually all this could also
be done in a single day, talk with the guesthouse
guy if it is needed.
A trekking -
rafting tour through the grandiose area is a must at
Um Phang.
Unfortunately there are no good hotels, only very
basic guesthouses. Since the forestry department
refuses to build a road into the Um Phang area -it
would only need a small extension out of Kamphaeng
Phet to have a shortcut of a couple of km - not many
people come to this remote place. But this area is
one of the most beautiful in whole Thailand, a
immense attraction. |
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Umphang Thee Lor Sue Water Fall |
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for you |
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The natural extension is
to download our unique e-book on
southern Thailand where you will find much more content and a lot of
exiting full scale pictures. You can have a look on the screen and if
you like you can print all content on any desktop printer, ...more
e-book |
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Thailand,
Umphang, Um Phang,
northern Thailand,
adventure,
trekking,
caving,
rafting,
kayaking, hotel,
river resort, guesthouse,
hill tribe,
Karen,
waterfall |
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